People's Liberation Army of Venezuela

The People's Liberation Army of Venezuela (PLAV) was a Marxist-Maoist political and guerrilla organization founded in the 1970s in Venezuela by Marcela Acosta. The organization waged guerrilla warfare from the Amazonas of central Venezuela, with aid initially from the United States and later from China.

History
The People's Liberation Army of Venezuela (PLAV) was inspired by the 26th of July Movement and FARC of Cuba and Colombia, respectfully. The organization was founded in the 1970s, and was based in the Amazonas rainforests of Venezuela. In their early years the PLAV were armed by the Soviet Union with AKM assault rifles, RPK light machine-guns, and RPG-7 rocket launchers, and the United States also backed them, giving them M551 Sheridan tanks (Cavalera Light Tanks) and UH-1 Iroquois helicopters (Castros).

In 2010, with President Ramon Solano's seizure of power, the PLAV continued their struggle to end the poverty of the country, fighting against Solano's new regime. They took over much of southern Venezuela, and were aided by a military intervention by the People's Republic of China.